Stand Up, Speak Out

From the Sun, April 18, 2008: 

A study has found young Malaysians in the peninsula to be generally optimistic about the state of national unity in the country, predicting that this would improve slightly within the next 10 years.
The study was conducted by the Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS) of the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute and the National Young Lawyer’s Committee (NYLC) of the Bar Council.
However, there were disturbing trends and underlying currents of ethnic tension that must be urgently addressed to avoid further racial polarisation, said former NYLC chairman Edmund Bon during the launch of the study today.
Bon said: “While the government had initiated various programmes to promote national unity, these were only surface solutions and did not address the underlying problems affecting the Malaysian community.”
Of the 1,000 respondents most of the 300 rural respondents seemed to be more optimistic about unity in the country and gave higher ratings to issues of harmony and race, while urban respondents showed a greater level of dissatisfaction.
Respondents from within the Central and Southern regions seemed to be less optimistic about national unity than those in the East and West of peninsular Malaysia.
Chinese were quite pessimistic about their future in the country, followed by the Indians. Malays were generally satisfied with their life in the country.
The study showed that Chinese were dissatisfied with economic policies and had a strong aversion to education in Malaysia, preferring foreign education over local.
The Chinese however ranked lower than Indians and Malays when it came to mingling with friends of different religions.
Those in the younger age group (18 to 24) were less likely to mix with others of different ethnicity relative to those in the 25 to 35 age group, indicating increasing racial polarisation amongst the young.
The research also indicates the disparity between what young Malaysians experience and what they perceive, because those who had healthy interethnic relationships at a personal level, gave lower ratings for unity at the national level. Respondents from rural areas and Malays rated religious harmony significantly higher than Chinese and Indians.
Also, a total 75% Malays say they have never been unfairly treated based on their race as opposed to 45% Chinese and 49% Indians, while on account of religion, 82% of Malays say they have never before been unfairly treated, as opposed to 53% each for both Chinese and Indians.
Among the suggestions given to improve national unity was the need to boldly examine public policies that adversely affect the socio-economic, and socio-political fabric, especially those related to provisions of equal opportunity and equal access to all.
These include:
> Economic Policies;
> Education Policies;
> Religious Policies;
> Racial Harmony; and
> National Unity Policies.
The objective of this quantitative survey was to unearth young Malaysians’ life values in the present and for the future, and to understand their attitudes towards national unity in Malaysia.
A number of factors contribute to national unity, namely a feeling of ownership of the country, aspirations for the future, racial and religious harmony, economic and education policies and experiences of unfair treatment. These factors were explored individually to assess the state of national unity in Malaysia.

The results of the survey are encouraging in that the young citizens of all races are optimistic on the state of national unity in Peninsula Malaysia.  With this positive note, we hope the Government will genuinely work on it to encourage further integration among the youth of various races.
 
During the last General Elections, the youth had played an important role in breaking down the hegemonic rule of BN.  The youth of all races and religions and of all economic and educational backgrounds, came together and stood up for their rights and fought against injustices.  Can this feeling of the youth be harnessed for the good of the country?  We, in BN, did not see this.  Now we see it, can the Government do something about it?
 
Mr Edmund Bon was right in saying that Government’s approach in getting youth together has been surface-deep.  The areas Government should look at are that of education which should bring the students of all races together again and of economic policies which should be more equitable regardless of race, especially in the implementation of the NEP.
 
The Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah is right to say that national unity or racial harmony in Malaysia depends on the stability of the Malay mind.  This is a question of feeling secured in this country.  No politicians should under-estimate this.  While promoting for a more open, equal and just society, we should not neglect the “feeling of insecurity” of the Malays.  That does not mean that in order not to make Malays feel insecure, politicians should call for the “Ketuanan Melayu”.  In doing so, they will commit the same mistake of UMNO and will be rejected by the youth and all Malaysians.
 
The world has changed.  We all Malaysians must change or will be left behind by history.